Automatic tracker and sheet regulation



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' J. T. AUSTIN AUTOMATIC TRACKER AND SHEET REGULATION Filed Feb. s, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 gt; @A

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J. T. AUSTIN AUTOMATIC TRACKER AND SHEET REGULATION Filed Feb. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patente-d Oct. 5, 1926. i

UNITED STATES JOHN T. AUSTIN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC TRACKER- AND SHEET REGULATION.

Application filed February This invention relates to musical instruments of the type having note playing mechanisms, a tracker bar associated with said mechanisms, and a music sheet passing over I said tracker bar and havingr perforations adapted to register with openings in the tracker' bar and thereby control the operation of the playing),` mechanisms.

An aim of the invention is to provide, in a musical instrument of thissort, improved tracker mechanism wherein the tracker bar is automatically elongated or contracted in accordance with variations in width ot the music sheet due to atmospheric and other causes.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in combination` an improved tracker mechanism wherein the tracker bar is automatically caused, by the music sheet, to vary in length in. accordance with changes in the width oi the music sheet, and mechanism, also controlled by the music sheet, for relatively shitting the sheet and tracker bar to cause the sheet to track properly over the 25 tracker bar.

The above and other objects ot the invention are obtained in a very simple and etfective manner.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown, more or less diagrammatically, two en'ibodimcnts which the invention may take, it being understood that these disclosiu'cs are by way of excn'u'iliiication only. and that the structures are susceptible of various modifications and changes. For instance, the operating means for varying? the leu... of the tracker bar and the' operating means for shitting the note sheet or tracker bar, one relative to the other, so that the sheet will track properly, are each shown as being in the form of pneumatics or air motors.

In these drawings- Figure 1 shows, more or less diagrammatically and in elevation, a structure in which the improvements of the present invention are incorporated, and

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrates another embodiment.

Referring' to the drawing`I in cach ot the iigures designates generally, a tracker bar formed in sections, in the present instanc the middle section 10l being tixed to a sup port and the ren'iaining sections being mounted for adjustment towards and awaj-,f 55 fromY the middle section. These movable sections may be mounted in a manner gen- 3, 1925. Serial No. 6,514.

erally similar to that disclosed in my U. i3. Letters Patent, No. 1,099,907, granted June 16, 1914, for tracker mechanism tor musical instruments. In Fig. 1 the support for the tracker bar is not shown. In Fig'. 2 the snpport is illustrated as beine; in the tor n ot a slide 51 which, as hereinafter descriliied more in detail, may be automatically shitted. 1.1 designates a music sheet carried by a roller or spool 12 and adapted to be unwound therefrom and moved over the tracker bar. It is understood, ot course, that the music sheet will have the usual note playing perforations. such as designated by the numerals 13, and the tracker bar will have openings 14 associated with the note playingY mechanisms and controlled by the per'torations in the music sheet.

In accordance with the nresent invention, the middle section 10a of the tracker bar. so 'tar as variations in the length of the bar are concerned, is fined a gainst movement, and the sections on opposite sides ot this lined section are moved simultaneously towards the lined section in the event that t-he music sheet should contract in width. and are moved simultaneouslj,7 away trom the middle section in the event that the sheet should eX- pand crosswise. To this end, there is provided a lever 15 pivoted, as at 1G, and those sections olf the tracker bar to one side ot the middle section 10a are connected by links 17 to the lever 15 at one side of its pivotal point, and the sections to the other side of the middle section 10a are connected by links 1S to the lever 15 at the opposite side ot its pivotal point. Thus, when the lever 15 is turned, the sections of the tracker bar to the left hand side oit the fixed section will move in one direction. anni "o sections on the right hand side will move in the opposite direction. It will be noted that the links for the two end sections are connected to the lever 15 at points further irom the pivot of the lever than are the links connected to the second and fourth sections, the object of this arrangement beine; to cause the outer sections to move twice as .tar as the other two movable sections and thustake care ot the accun'iulated expansion and eoi'itraction of the music sheet trom the center to the edges thereof. In actual practice, the tracker bar may be made of more than tive sections. By way ot illustration, the lever 15 is shown as being connected by a rod 2O to a pair of op positely acting pneumatics 21 and Q2, re-

'tubes ct'innnunicate liv ineans et small bleed openin 'with an exhaust chamber nl) whei'el177V the pnennnnics will he' enhaw` e. when the ports and 26 are closed. rlne. note sheet provided with a ci'intinuous line ot spaced perlof'etions or holes 30 which, when the note inerlv tracl" f' the tracker bar is oI i )er entens over the tracker nar and 2li with i ports to auf,7 great extent. notnecessarily, the

Preferably. but c holes normally will lap over the por so as to iii-alie the control more sensitive. ln the embodiment o't Fig. Q, the bellows 2l and and associated parts. are carired ou the slidahle support In order that the noteslieet will properly tracl; over the tracker bar, either the note sheet or the traciier har, as a whole, is automatically shifted, the shifting inoven'ient being controlled by the note sheet. in the embodiment shown in Fig. l the note sheet is shifted7 and in Fig. 2 the tracker bar assembliY is shifted.

Referring to the arrangement shown in Fig. l, the hearings for the spool or roller l2 are mounted Ytor axial movement, and these bearings are normally urged lengthwise towards tie right,v as by ineans'of a spring 37. BS designates a lever adapted to cooperate with the right` hand hearing. This lever is connected h v a rod 39 to a pair of oppositclj,lv acting pneumatics and el7 'espectivcl v. These pneuniatics are respectivelj.7 connected hv tubes IHl2 and ai?) to ports ell-ls and positioned side lj side. preferably in the fixed middle section of the trac er ha r. The pneumatics i() and eil are adapted to be exhausted in the saine manner as the pneuiuatics 2l and The music sheet is pro vided prefere-,lily but not necessarilv) along Aits center or medial line, with a continuous line et holes "i6 arranged, when the sheet isin proper tracking position, to pass between the, ports le and without uncovering either ot them lo ani7 great extent.

in the embodiment shown inFig. Q. it ma): be a nuned that the spool'l is lined against endwise n'ioveinent'. In this instance, the lever or linlt 3F? is shown being. connected to the tracker har support 5l.

The operation of ther arrangement shown in Fig. l is. brieilv, as follows. In the event the music sheet not properly tracking. the line ot holes i6 will uncover to a rr-cater extent either the port 4st or the por?.A l depending on the direction in which the sheet is misplaced, and. through the pneumatics i0 and ell, the sheet will he moved to proper tracking iliosition. ll'lore specifically, assuming that the sheet has incorrectly shiftedto the lett, the port will he opened' to the atmosphere by the holes 46 with the result that the pneumatic 4:1 will expand, withdrawing the lever 3S from the bearing 255 and permittingthe spring 37 to move the bearings and roller slightly to the right. In the event that the music sheet should shift out of registry slightly to the right, the holes i6 would uncover the port All, whereupon the pneumatic l() would move the lever 38 in a` direction to cause thc roller'to be properlyv shifted towards the lett. In the event the music sheet should chantre in width, one or the other oi' the ports n and 26 (depending on whether the paper increased in width or decreased in width) will be uncovered to a greater extent hv the holes 30, with the result that the length olf` the tracker har will he auton'iuticallv changed. thereby bringing the sections to positions where the openings 141-. properlyY register with the note playing perforations of the sheet. More specicallv, assumingthat the music sheet should increase in width, the line ot holes 8O would uncover the port 25 with the result that atmospheric pressure would he admitted to the pneumatic'i?, whereupon this pneumatic would` return the lever clockwise, thereby moving the ecions 'if'ghtly apar 1. In the event that the-sheet would become narrower., the line of holes S0 would uncover'. the port permitting air to llow fo the pneumatic 2l, with the result that the lever l5 would he'oscillatcd counterclockwise and the movable sections would be moved towards the iiaed one.

The structure shown in Fig-2opei'ates iu a manner generally similar to that j ust described, except that ii ead ot shittin "the note sheet assembly inc hiding' the .sheet and its spool. the tracker har as a whole or a single unit is shifted. ln the event the note sheet should run.- out ot line to the right the portee1A would he opened whereuponthe bellows l0 would shift the support 5l, to gether with the tracker har und the mechanism 'for changing the length of the par, to the right. Likewise. it the note sheet should run ont of line to the lett so that the port 45 would he uncovered. the tracker har :ism semblj.' would be inoved to the lettA It will he noted than, bfi conihininjz' the means tor varying the ih ot the tracker har and the means for sh ii, C the music sheet, each ot these ineans being controlled h v the music sheet cooperatingl with ports tracker har, the note playing pei-fw .is are caused to properly req iter with ur resiliective note ,ilaving openings in the traclfer sections.

As manv changes could he made iu the above construction and iuanv appfu'entlv v.'idcl} T different embodiments ot this invention could be made without depariingfronl the scope thereof, it is intended that all inatter contained. in the above description or lili ll'i

shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. i

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specic features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope ofthe invent-ion which, as a matter of language, mi ht be said to fall therebetween.

l 7hat I claim is l. In an automatic musical instrument, a tracker bar comprising a plurality of scctions movable towards and away from each other and an end section ot said bar having a pair ot ports positioned side by side, pneumatic means for changing the length of said bar and controlled through said ports, and a note sheet having along one edge a row ot holes normally tracking between said ports and adapted to control said ports and said pneumatic means therethrough.

2. In an automatic musical instrument, a tracker bar element, a music sheet element including a music sheet adapted to pass over said bar element, and pneumatic means for shifting one ot' said elements relative to the other, said bar element having a pair of ports positioned side by side and connected to said pneumatic means whereby when one ot' said ports is uncovered the pneumatic means. will relatively move the elements in one direction and when the other of said ports is uncovered said pneumatic means will relatively move said elements in the opposite direction, said sheet having' a row ot holes adapted to control said ports and normally tracking over the bar element between said ports.

3. In an automatic musical instrument, a tracker bar element including a tracker bar formed in sections, mechanism for moving said sections to vary the length of said bar, a music sheet element including a music sheet adapted to pass over said bar, mechanism for shifting one of said elements to cause said sheet to properly track, ports in one of the end sections of said bar associated with said rst mentioned mechanism, ports in one of the sections between the end sections o't said bar and associated with the second mentioned mechanism, said sheet haviupr a row ot holes controlling the first mentioned ports, said sheet having another set ol'i holes placed nearer the center of the sheet. than the first row and controlling said second mentioned ports.

4. In an automatic musical instrument, a tracker bar element including a tracker bar 'formed in sections, mechanism for moving said sections to vary the length of the bar, a music sheet element including a music sheet adapted to pass over said bar, and mechanism for shifting one of said elements to cause said sheet to properly track, said sheet having, adjacent one edge, a continuous line ot holes controlling said tirst mentioned mechanism and said sheet having along its medial longitudinal line a row oi holes controlling said shiiting mechanism.

5. In au automatic musical instrument, and in combination, a tracker bar formed in sections, mechanism 'for moving said sections to vary the length oi said bar, a. music sheet roll, a music sheet carried thereby, and mechanism for shifting said roll to cause said music sheet to properly track over said bar, said music sheet having a line of holes controlling' said tracker bar n'iechanism, said sheet also having another linel ot holes con-- trolling said shifting mechanism.

6. In an automatic musical instrument, and in combination, a tracker bar formed in sections, mechanism for moif'ing said sections to vary the length ot' said bar, a music sheet roll, a music sheet carried thereby, and

vicchanism tor shitting said roll to cause the music sheet to properly track over said bar, said sheet having adjacent one edge a continuous line of holes controlling said tracker bar mechanism, said sheet having on its medial line a row ot holes controlling said shitting mechanism.

7. In an automatic musical instrument, and in ctmibiuation, a tracker bar `formed in a plurality oi sections, the central one of which is tixed, a music sheet, mechanism for moving said sections except the fixed one to vary the length et the tracker bar in accordance with variations in the width oi said music sheet.,l and means for shitting said music sheet, said music sheet having a line oit' holes adjacent one edge controlling said tracker bar mechanism, said sheet also having on its medial line row ot' holes controlling said shitting mechanism.

S. In combination, a tracker bar element including a tracker bar having sections movable towards and away irom a central section, a music sheet element including` a music sheet, means -t'or moving said movable sections to vary the length ot said tracker bar in accordance with the variations in the width oi. said music sheet, one ot the end sections having a pair of ports positioned side by side and associated with said mechanism, means for shifting one ot said elements, the central section of said tracker bar having a pair of ports iiositioned side by side and associated with said shitting means, said music sheet having a line of holes adjacent one edge normally passing between said first mentioned ports, said sheet also having a second row of holes normally passing between said ports in said central section.

JOHN T. AUSTIN.

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